Watery nightlight - a small Eurasian bat of the Vespertilionidae family. Along with an ordinary nightlight, it is the most common representative of the genus Myotis on the European territory of Russia. Another name for this species is the dobanton's nightlight, which corresponds to the universal Latin name Myotis daubentonii.
Despite its wide distribution, the species is rather small, and in Russia it is assigned to the 4th category, and is also included in the Red Books of some regions.
General characteristics of the animal
Watery nightlight belongs to small species of bats, but among the latter it has medium sizes. It is characterized by relatively short ears, wide, blunted wings at the end and a very slow flight without throws and sharp turns (with the exception of jerks after prey). The biology of the species is currently poorly understood.
The life span of one individual can reach 22 years.
Dimensional parameters of a water bed| Body length, mm | 49 - 55 |
| Body weight g | 6.5 - 14.5 |
| Forearm length, mm | 35 - 41 |
| Condylobasal skull length, mm | 13-14.2 |
| Ear height mm | 13 - 20 |
| Ear tab length (tragus) | 6.5 - 10 |
| The length of the upper dentition (38 pcs), mm | 5 - 5.7 |
| The part of the free edge of the membrane between the thighs occupied by the spur | 2/3 of the entire length |
| Wing span, mm | 240 - 275 |
The tail of the mouse is short relative to the length of the trunk (37.5 mm); the epiblema is absent. The place of attachment of the membrane of the wing is the middle or the main third of the metatarsus, which distinguishes a watery night from similar species. The ear has a slightly elongated shape and is directed slightly forward and along the head (while the apex does not extend beyond the tip of the nose). The interorbital space of the skull is relatively wide.
Like other bats, each individual of the night-eye differs in an individual "voice" and can produce 2 types of sounds: normal (more characteristic for communication) and ultrasound (used for echolocation). The maximum frequency of the latter is 45 kHz.
Systematic position
The species Myotis daubentonii belongs to the family Vespertilionidae, that is, smooth-nosed bats. In the system of zoological classification in the direction from the highest taxon to the lowest, this family occupies the following systematic position:
- Type - Chordata (Chordata).
- Subtype - Cranial (Vertebrata).
- Section - Maxillary (Gnatostomata).
- Group - Primarily ground (Amnyota).
- Class - Mammals (Mammalia).
- Subclass - Beasts (Theria).
- Superorder - Placental (Eutheria).
- Order - Bats (Chiroptera).
- Suborder - Bats (Microchiroptera).
In addition to the dobanton's nightlight, another 10 species of the genus Myotis inhabit the territory of Russia.
Subspecies
On the territory of Russia, three subspecies of the watery night are identified:
- Myotis daubentonii daubentoni Kuchl;
- Myotis daubentonii volgensis Eversman;
- Myotis daubentonii ussuriensis Ognev.
The Iberian form M. d. natchalinae Tupinier.
These groups are distinguished on the basis of an insignificant difference in size and confinement to specific distribution areas. There is no sharp boundary between the subspecies.
Appearance
When describing a photo, watery night can be characterized by the following parameters:
- massive physique (compared with similar species);
- thick, evenly distributed fur, contrastly colored in the upper and lower parts of the body;
- weak hairiness of the mask (the area around the eyes and on the sides of the muzzle);
- the mask is painted lighter than the body (flesh-pink color);
- a relatively short ear, half covered with hair;
- significant exit of the tail beyond the border of the femur.
In general, the dobanton's nightlight looks like a compact fluffy animal with a two-color color. The back is always dark and covered with brownish-brown or gray fur (shades can vary greatly). The bottom is always lighter and has a range of colors from brownish gray to almost white.
Gray and dull shades are mainly characteristic of young individuals, and with age, the color acquires more saturated and dark tones.
Habitat
The distribution of this species is confined to the Eurasian continent and affects the following geographical regions:
- Europe (zones of steppes and forest-steppes) - to the west reaches Ireland, and to the north extends to the Arctic Circle;
- Crete;
- northern part of Asia Minor;
- Caucasus;
- north-eastern part of Kazakhstan;
- Siberia (to the Irtysh basin).
The range is represented by a narrow strip bounded by two northern latitudes: 49-50 ° and 60-61 °. Distribution is sporadic in nature, confined to the basins of large reservoirs.
Lifestyle
In contrast to the species similar in biological characteristics - a pond nightlight, the aquatic one is less “attached” to water bodies. She is able to hunt in areas of coastal forests and even in the area of human settlements.
The duration of the pregnancy of the female is about 2 months; the appearance of the cub occurs in June. August for watery nights is the time of mating season, and September is the period of migration to wintering (without long flights). At the same time, the main purpose of the nightlight is to find refuge, in which basements, caves and other underground structures can act. Migration takes place if there is no suitable place nearby. The wintering period lasts up to 9 months.
As a summer haven, the dobanton nightstand uses:
- hollow trees (the most common option);
- attics of wooden buildings;
- nests of brood birds.
Shelter places are located near water bodies that can be both natural (slow-flowing rivers, lakes), and of anthropogenic origin. In shelters, mice wait for daytime and a break between two night hunting departures.
What does the watery night eat?
Like other bats that live on the territory of Russia, the dobanton's nightlight eats insects. The main prey are mosquitoes. To a lesser extent, other dipterous and small butterflies are present in the diet.
The first flight to hunt is carried out in the late twilight, and the second - before sunrise. Feeding time is short (15-20 minutes). If hunting is carried out over a reservoir, then the nightlight flies at a height of 5-20 cm from its surface, periodically making sharp jerks after prey.